Electronic device and multimedia file sorting method

Abstract

A multimedia file sorting method for use in an electronic device is provided. The method has the following steps of: retrieving time information and location information of multimedia files stored in the electronic device; filtering the multimedia files according to the retrieved time information and the retrieved location information; and sorting the multimedia files into multiple groups according to similarities within both the retrieved time information and the retrieved location information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multimedia file sorting method for use in an electronic device, comprising:
 retrieving time information and location information of multimedia files stored in the electronic device;   filtering the multimedia files according to the retrieved time information and the retrieved location information; and   sorting the multimedia files into multiple groups according to similarities within both the retrieved time information and the retrieved location information.   
     
     
         2 . The multimedia file sorting method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating the multimedia files by the electronic device;   retrieving local time and a corresponding location of the electronic device; and   embedding the local time and the corresponding location of the electronic device to the multimedia files upon creating the multimedia files.   
     
     
         3 . The multimedia file sorting method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the similarities within the retrieved time information according to a predetermined time period; and   determining the similarities within the retrieved location information according to a reference region.   
     
     
         4 . The multimedia file sorting method as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining a reference multimedia file from the multimedia files;   retrieving reference time information and a reference location of the reference multimedia file;   determining the reference region according to the reference location of the reference multimedia file;   determining whether the time information of each of the remaining multimedia files is within the predetermined time period from the reference time information;   determining whether the location information of each of the remaining multimedia files is within the reference region away from the reference location; and   sorting the multimedia files, which have the time information within the predetermined time period from the reference time information and the location information within the reference region away from the reference location, into the same group as the reference multimedia file.   
     
     
         5 . The multimedia file sorting method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the reference region is defined as a region within a predetermined distance away from the reference location. 
     
     
         6 . A multimedia file sorting method for use in an electronic device, comprising:
 arranging an event in a calendar application executed on the electronic device wherein the event in the calendar has a start time and an end time;   retrieving multimedia files by the electronic device, wherein each of the multimedia files is correspondingly embedded with time information and location information;   determining a reference region based on a reference location of the event; and   sorting the multimedia files, which have the time information between the start time and the end time and have the location information within the reference region, into a first group.   
     
     
         7 . The multimedia file sorting method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 sorting the multimedia files, which have the time information within a predetermined time period before the start time or after the end time, and have the location information within the reference region, into the first group.   
     
     
         8 . A multimedia file sorting method for use in an electronic device, comprising:
 retrieving first multimedia files stored in the electronic device, wherein the retrieved first multimedia files are sorted into a first group, and filenames of the first multimedia files comprise a first pattern;   editing at least one of the first multimedia files and saving the edited first multimedia file as a second multimedia file with the first pattern; and   sorting the second multimedia file into the first group according to the first pattern.   
     
     
         9 . The multimedia file sorting method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the second multimedia file comprises the same time information and location information as the edited first multimedia file. 
     
     
         10 . A multimedia file sorting method for use in an electronic device, comprising:
 retrieving first multimedia files stored in different physical folders of the electronic device;   retrieving time information and location information of the first multimedia files by parsing all of the first multimedia files; and   sorting the first multimedia files into at least one group according to similarities of the retrieved time information and/or the retrieved location information.   
     
     
         11 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a memory unit configured to store multimedia files; and   a processor configured to retrieve time information and location information of the multimedia files stored in the memory unit, filter the multimedia files according to the retrieved time information and the retrieved location information, and sort the multimedia files into multiple groups according to similarities within both the retrieved time information and the retrieved location information.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor further retrieves local time and a corresponding location of the electronic device and embeds the local time and the corresponding location of the electronic device to the multimedia files upon creating the multimedia files. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processor further determines the similarities within the retrieved time information according to a predetermined time period, and determines the similarities within the retrieved location information according to a reference region. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the processor further determines a reference multimedia file from the multimedia files, retrieves reference time information and a reference location of the reference multimedia file, determines the reference region according to the reference location of the reference multimedia file, determines whether the time information of each of the remaining multimedia files is within the predetermined time period from the reference time information, determines whether the location information of each of the remaining multimedia files is within the reference region away from the reference location, and sorts the multimedia files, which have the time information within the predetermined time period from the reference time information and the location information within the reference region away from the reference location, into the same group as the reference multimedia file. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the reference region is within a predetermined distance away from the reference location. 
     
     
         16 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a memory unit configured to store multimedia files and a calendar application; and   a processor configured to execute the calendar application, arrange an event in the calendar application, wherein the event in the calendar has a start time and an end time,   wherein the processor further retrieves multimedia files, and each of the multimedia files is correspondingly embedded with time information and location information,   wherein the processor further determines a reference region based on a reference location of the event, and sorts the multimedia files, which have the time information between the start time and the end time and the location information within the reference region, into a first group.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the processor further sorts the multimedia files, which have the time information within a predetermined time period before the start time or after the end time and have the location information within the reference region, into the first group. 
     
     
         18 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a memory unit configured to store first multimedia files, wherein the retrieved first multimedia files are sorted into a first group, and filenames of the first multimedia files comprise a first pattern; and   a processor configured to retrieve the first multimedia files, edit at least one of the first multimedia files, save the edited first multimedia file as a second multimedia file with the first pattern, and sort the second multimedia file into the first group according to the first pattern.   
     
     
         19 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the second multimedia file comprises the same time information and location information as the edited first multimedia file. 
     
     
         20 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a memory unit configured to store first multimedia files with different physical folders; and   a processor configured to retrieve the first multimedia files, retrieve time information and location information of the first multimedia files by parsing all of the first multimedia files, and sort the first multimedia files into at least one group according to similarities of the retrieved time information and/or the retrieved location information.